Public Health Alerts

Health alerts such as outbreaks, boil water advisories and product recalls can come from various trusted sources throughout the Province of British Columbia,
in your local Health Authority area, and right across Canada. This section of our website brings together all of these alerts in one location.

We have highlighted the most recent alerts from all regions and sources in British Columbia, to ensure you have quick access to the latest public information that may affect you and your family. For food recalls, medication and product recalls, and allergy alerts issues by Government of Canada agencies, visit the Across Canada tab. For information on emergency room closures, food inspections, influenza (flu) season, and water quality advisories, visit the In Your Area tab.

Most Recent Alerts

The BC Centre for Disease Control and BC Ministry of Health issue province-wide public health alerts on issues that can affect the health of you and your family.

BC Centre for Disease Control

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is the provincial public health centre responsible for protecting and enhancing
the health of all British Columbians through communicable disease prevention.
Below are the current communicable disease-related public health alerts made public by the BCCDC.

Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health works with health authorities,
health care providers, agencies and other organizations to guide and improve the Province's health services to ensure that
British Columbians are supported in their efforts to maintain and better their health. Below is the latest public health-related news released by the Ministry of Health.

Each of the health authorities in the Province are responsible for providing current public health information on topics such as water quality, emergency room closures, boil water advisories and more, to the people who live in that region. We have divided this section into these topics and more, with links to provincial and health authority specific information. These links will help you access the information that affects the community you live in.

Water Quality

Issues such as food recalls, medication and product recalls, and allergy alerts can affect more than one province in Canada.
Here we have provided quick access to public health alerts made public by the Public Health Agency of Canada, Healthy Canadians and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

In Canada, most food recalls are coordinated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Depending on the level of risk, the CFIA will issue a warning to the public. Below are the latest recalls issued by the CFIA.

Public Health Agency of Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) helps to protect the health and safety of all Canadians. Its activities focus on preventing chronic diseases, preventing injuries, and
responding to public health emergencies and infectious disease outbreaks. Below are the latest health updates provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Want More Information?

HealthLink BC is as close as your phone or the web any time of the day or night, every day of the year.

Call 8-1-1 toll-free in B.C. or for deaf and hearing-impaired, call 7-1-1.

You can speak with a health service representative, who can also connect you with a:

registered nurse any time, every day of the year;

registered dietitian from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday;

pharmacist from 5pm to 9am, every day of the year.

Translation services are available in more than 130 languages.

Your Health Authority

To find out which health authority you live in, choose your community from the drop down list below:

Your Health Authority is: --Select from above--

For more information on health authority borders and to view maps, please visit:

Travel Health Notices

Are you planning on travelling out of Canada? Remember that other countries may have different health issues and concerns than Canada. Please visit the Public Health Agency of Canada Travel Health Notices webpage for up to date information on travel notices.

Is it an emergency?

If you or someone in your care has chest pains, difficulty breathing, or severe bleeding, it could be life-threatening. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately. If you are concerned about a possible poisoning or exposure to a toxic substance, call Poison Control now at 1-800-567-8911.